New Player Comparison for Marcus Smart

I know that this forum does not like player comparisons, but they can be helpful in determining the kind of player that an NBA prospect can be.

Smart has been compared to Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, Chauncey Billups, and even Andre Miller, but he isn't as athletic as Rose, has better IQ than Evans, isn't as good of a shooter as Billups, and can't pass as well as Miller.

What about Baron Davis? (not the 260 pound Baron Davis from 2010-2011, the Baron Davis who led the #8 seed Warriors to victory over the #1 seed and 67-win Dallas Mavericks)

They have a similar physical body type. Davis was not the most athletic player in the league, but he was really good athlete, which is what Smart projects to be. Smart measures at 6'4'', while Davis measured at 6'3''. Davis was extremely strong in his upper body and used his strength to get into the lane, much like Smart. Smart has a tendency to be turnover-prone and to chuck up long threes, which is similar to Davis' entire career.

I envision Smart having career numbers similar to these, with decent shooting percentages, but solid assist and defensive numbers. Smart will probably get to the free throw line more than Davis did, which might boost his PPG numbers a little.

Smart will probably be a more solid player and leader than Davis was, but as far as future stats and play style, Smart's ceiling is probably somewhere around where Baron Davis was at his best.

I actually remember Baron Davis being one of the most athletic players in the league when he was young. The unique thing about him was how athletic he was for his size. I would say Marcus Smart is more like a Deron Williams type athlete.

I really like the Deron Williams athletic comparison. Not really vertically athletic but really fast laterally. Injuries, age and brittleness caused Williams to lose his defensive quickness but he was a really good defender, both in space and in iso before all that. If Smart can develop his shot to become more trustworthy I see a 6'4 Jameer Nelson, which to me sounds like a top 5 pick in most draft classes.

Richie, the younger guys don't remember B Diddy as a elite athlete. He spent years as a freak of nature Barkley style athlete. A guy that doesn't appear to be in peak physical shape, chubby, but has crazy spring and explosiveness. Anthony Bennett might be in that same category. Smart is physically solid as a rock but I don't see him in that explosive class.

Again, Baron is one one of the guys where you feel what if, athletically unbelievable explosive but his feel for the game was a lot more advanced in comparison with all the Ultra athletes of today. Deron was never more than an average athlete, Davis was the best athlete at his Position when he started. Marcus Smart, I believe he will be a very good Rotation Player, i cant see star potential at all. More like third guard in the Rotation, a defensive specialist and emotional leader. He could easily fall out of the lottery, depending on who stays or goes next year.

IMO this kid kinda remind of Gary Payton but a athletic version. High IQ, defensive awareness as far as very good On-Ball defense, plays the lane for picking off passes, good rebounder, and to be the same size at 6'4" he likes to abuse smaller guards with his post abilities which seems to be one of his Go-to moves...not the fastest or nor does he have a pure jump shot yet... I'm going to say he's a athletic Gary Payton

Build wise, yes. Playing style? Not so much. Smart isn't a take over 20 ppg type offensive player, he can do it at times, but scoring 18-20 ppg isn't how he leads his team to victory. He's more of a stat stuffer, hit the offensive glass, distribute, drive when necessary and do it all. Now, he has a great deal of talent and by no means do I think he'll be the same player as a 5 or 6 year pro as he is as a college freshman, but I just don't see a 20 ppg scorer in the NBA, especially one who averaged 5 3 point attempts per game during his career ( including a season where he chucked 8.7 per game! ). Davis was a very good player in his day, but he was a chucker and I don't see any sort of chucker in Marcus Smart's future.

Baron was very athletic, he was in the dunk contest a couple times and would dunk on you in a heartbeat... Smart is more Deron than B Diddy but its a toss up. Baron and Deron can really shoot the ball. Marcus not so much. I compare Marcus to Deron without a jumper

He reminds me of tony allen so much.Tony allen is a hardnose defender , a take a elbow or two if it means winning also grab boards with big boys.Tony allen put up similar number as a freshmen and also went to the same college there around the same height and share around the same athletic abilitys .Tony allen was a scorer in high school due to his hustle around the ball being in the right place at the right time he slowed down due to injury and focused on D so doc rivers a give him playing time.
I think Marcus could become a great combo guard one of the few that make it. Hes not a point but has great instincts.Also he shot worse then TONY ALLEN FROM THE COLLEGE 3!! I'm saying this because I think he has good mechanic plus the work ethic to be improve and if hes selected top 5 the full support of one lottery teams training staff , so even tho he has to work on his shot I can see him being a better shooter in the nba in due time.

its a reason tony allen has a starting job in the nba he help change the culture of the grizz made them into a defense first time MARC GASOL WON DPOY with the help of tony allens perimeter defense over played like noah,ibaka, and sanders.
You guys are comparing him to deron and baron when he only averaged 4 assit and 3 1/2 turn overs a game as lead guard. Of course he might have better pg skills then allen BUT AT THE SAME AGE ALLEN WAS A better SHOOTER THEN SMART along with baron ,payton, and deron. The pistons had stuckey and knight one which shoots better then smart and one who is a proven scorer at the next level you know who they wanted to play pg? JOSE CALDERON because hes a GOOD PG. Brandon Jennings is now pistons some ppl are mad because they wanted pure pg on the pistons not and player that scores a playmaker. Smart will have to compete with better playmakers and scorers at the pg it wont be as easy as Steph Currys transition because smart doesn't have the shoot to keep ppl honest as he well join a losing team the pressure may be on him more his first years in the league .I defend my comparison and until any one can poke holes in it I cant change my mind.I know he probally a be better then tony allen but right now he reminds me of tony allen the PROS separate the men from the boys smart knew he wasn't ready to run pg yet that's why he stayed in college.

I think he's like a 6'4 Ty Lawson without his top notch speed and quickness, but that doesn't mean he's a slouch in that area. They both have strong frames that can take contact when going to the basket, and Ty had a struggling jumpshot when he was in college. They both can surprise you with there vertical leap when they get to the basket. I think Marcus Smart, will have similar or maybe even better NBA stats than Ty Lawson.

Everyones talking about offense and dunking are you guys not understanding that's not Smarts game.He's a player that may have the ability to make an all defense team.Match him with capable point guard and you now have 2 guards on the floor who can facilitate and offense and bring wins to your ball club with hard play and high iq basketball these intangibles wont make him a 20 plus point per night scorer as joe wolf said but they will get you a playoff berth or a upward trend of Ws in the win/loss column. I can see smart getting triple and double doubles in his prime.Put him at the point guard with a heavy offensive guard at the two he will make that player much more efficient while bullying smaller points (which its going to be harder to find looks like pg position is getting bigger).This monster offensive threat is something I don't see smart becoming he has to learn how to shoot first and score at the next level.All the things I mentioned I see him brining day 1.Im a big fan of smart also him and L.Nash when hes in control.

i compare Marcus Smart to Gary Payton cause i think they have similarity in impact of the game and attributes(defense, leadership, intangibles) maybe a little not the same in style but close in level of play.

deron williams is the best comparison.people forget how good deron was before the injuries and if marcus smart can develop a shoot like williams .he will only get better.right now he's in the deron williams and jason kidd mold of a player.jason kidd was really athletic too.

I see him as more a defensive-minded, combo guard. As a result, I think that his best comparison would be Joe Dumars. Someone who can play the point, but is really adept at shutting down the guard scorer, and one who pairs incredibly well with an elite, able-to-score PG